Friday, October 31, 2008

Our friends over at Capitol Annex brought our attention to a little scoop involving good old Dallas Republican Tony Goolsby.

The uncouth state representative apparently said the following to the Associated Press: “I’m up to my ass in a damn campaign. This is the only job I’ve got and I’m trying to save it. Obama’s got people coming from the rafters.”

Folks, we've been hearing that Republicans across the state are sharing the same sentiments. They weren't expecting to have to defend their seats, but the Democrats are building a huge momentum.

We've said it before-- we're expecting some serious surprises and upsets on election day!

It seems that even Sarah Palin is ready to jump off the sinking ship that is the John McCain campaign.

McCain's running mate Palin has already begun talking about her future aspirations if her ticket were to lose Tuesday's election.

ABC News is reporting that Palin has already begun talking about 2012:

In an interview with ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas, the Republican vice-presidential nominee was asked about 2012, whether she was discouraged by the daily attacks on the campaign trail, and would instead pack it in and return to her home state of Alaska.

"I think that, if I were to give up and wave a white flag of surrender against some of the political shots that we've taken, that would bring this whole … I'm not doing this for naught," Palin said.

On CNN, Dana Bash said that when she told a senior McCain adviser about Palin's remarks, that person was "speechless."

It may go against conventional wisdom that the vice-presidential picks don't do a lot of mind-changing in the long-run, but I will say that I've spoken with several undecided voters and even Republicans who voted early for Barack Obama, and when asked why, Sarah Palin was at the top of the list.

Along with red states West Virginia and Georgia, John McCain's home state of Arizona has been moved to the "Leaning McCain" column on the RealClearPolitics electoral map.

You read that right: the senator from Arizona may actually lose the state he represents.

The Arizona Republic reports that McCain's lead over his Democratic opponent has shriveled to only two points, and with a three point margin of error, the state is now an electoral toss up.

Sen. John McCain's once-comfortable lead in Arizona has all but evaporated, according to a new poll that has the underdog Republican presidential candidate struggling in his own backyard.

With less than a week until Election Day, McCain is leading his Democratic rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, by 2 points, 46 to 44, down from a 7-point lead a month ago and a double-digit lead this summer, according to a poll from Arizona State University.

This race is getting very interesting. We may be in for some surprises next Tuesday!

President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton sent the following message out to supporters. It's more important than ever to get out the vote! In Texas, early voting will continue this week or you can vote on Election Day, Nov. 4.

With Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the White House and bigger Democratic majorities in Congress, we're going to achieve things that didn't seem possible just a few years ago. But it's up to us to make it happen.

With only a few days left, it is crucial that we all do everything we can. Every single conversation, every single phone call, and every single volunteer could make a difference

Here's the description of John's encounter with Brimer in his own words:

Background:I attended the Sunset Commission hearing on abolishing the Texas Residential Construction Commission. Prior to the meeting I had sent a letter to Brimer (see attached) asking him to recuse himself from the decision to abolish this commission because unlike the homeowners who will testify, Brimer can always just ask Bob Perry for more donations to buy another condo if the condo is defective. I was obviously referring to his rent to own scam.

The confrontationWhile “teaching” a new homeowner the ropes in the capitol, I saw Brimer in the hall, so I asked him about the letter and if he would recuse himself from the decision. He immediately turned red and started yelling at me “You are a lunatic” “You are crazy” and then walked away.

Three times I asked Brimer to “Don’t turn away from me, let’s talk about this”. Each time he would turn around getting more red. He claimed I didn’t know what I was talking about, and got mad when I told him I had a copy of the Ethics complaint. He demanded a copy of it. (see attached. Notice this complaint was filed in late 2007 and is NOT the one filed by the Values PAC in Dallas)

Brimer again turned away until I said “Well, then we will discuss this at the hearing, with the media”. He turned around one last time and said “I’ll make sure you are not there!” (What that meant is beyond me!)

The conclusionAnyway, he was there for the two day hearings, but he was noticably missing from the part on the homebuilders commission recommendation. Mission accomplished?

If you want to bring real change to Austin, make a last-minute contribution to the Wendy Davis campaign today, and if you live in Senate District 10, make sure you vote for her!

If people were making fun of Gov. Sarah Palin's wardrobe choices, then The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck might have had a point when she was out stumping for Palin and her running mate, John McCain, but instead her attacks fell flat as she called criticisms of Palin's shopping spree "deliberately sexist."

Sorry, Elisabeth, but you're just flat out wrong on this one.

As we explained last week, the RNC spent $150,000 on a designer wardrobe for Palin's campaign appearances. This is relevant because Palin is attempting to appeal to Joe Sixpack and Joe the Plumber while painting the Democrats out to be the ones shopping at Neiman's while sipping their lattes. She can't have it both ways.

And there is no double standard here. First of all, the Obamas shop on a budget, and much ado has been made about the fact that Michelle Obama shops at H&M instead of pricy boutiques or department stores. Secondly, Democrats have come under fire for similar hypocrisy as Palin's. For instance, John Edwards' message of "Two Americas" fell flat after it was revealed that he received a $400 haircut.

Edwards is a man. The right endlessly criticized him for trying to appeal to blue-collar voters and leading an elite lifestyle. Now Hasselbeck and her ilk are going to have to suck it up when the Ferragamo is on the other foot.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

For many of the same reasons that the Star-Telegram recommended Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992, it is recommending Democrat Barack Obama in 2008.

Obama provides the prescription for America’s ills at this moment: a fine, inquisitive intellect, paired with an eloquence that allows him to articulate a message with clarity and substance; an ability to inspire people of all ages, races and ethnicities who never before were engaged in the political process; and an unflappable temperament that allows him to weather a barrage of withering personal attacks.

Under his leadership, the Obama campaign has been amazingly disciplined, efficient and effective. Those same talents will be essential for the difficult work ahead to rebuild the nation’s faltering economic institutions and restore citizen confidence.

Meanwhile, the Fort Worth newspaper's main competitor, the Dallas Morning News, has endorsed John McCain. We think that, like the two biggest newspapers, the voting population in North Texas is also split. That's why you need to get everyone you know out to the polls on Election Day, or better yet during early voting next week. We could turn this around and give Obama much-needed, valuable votes. And yes, Texas is a red state, but you never know what could happen! We may end up with a Democratic senator if we get out the vote!

Friday, October 24, 2008

In the states of California, Arizona, and Florida, there are hateful ballot initiatives that voters will be faced with on Election Day- now just 11 days away.

We urge voters in those states to make a decision that's bigger than them. Make a decision for a future for so many young people that deserve to live in a country that grants all its citizens equal rights.

Do the right thing. Vote NO on anti-gay ballot initiatives! Support marriage equality- for yourself, for your children, for your cousin, for your parents, for your neighbors... for the future.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Are we in for another election riddled with questions about fraud, suppression, and intimidation? Can we just play fair for once, and see who wins?

The powers that be in Texas may be up to the same old tricks this cycle, according to reports out of Clear Lake. MOMocrats has the full story about possible voter suppression tactics in an area recently plagued by hurricanes. Here's an excerpt:

"A driver's license?" I asked, "They specified a driver's license?"

She confirmed it was a driver's license, not any other type of photo ID.

Earlier this year, back in March, there was a referendum on the table to require a photo ID to vote. However, the problem with that is technically it's a poll tax, since the IDs cost (money and time). You can't charge people to vote. However, even that referendum didn't require a driver's license, just an official photo identification card.

These poll workers stated that they required a driver's license, according to my friend. When she asked, they said she didn't have to show hers to them to vote.

Next, I talked to another friend who voted that same day at that same place. She reported the exact same experience.

"Did they tell you they had to have your driver's license?" I asked.

"Yeah, they did," she said.

"Did they scan the back of it?"

"Yeah, they did," she said again.

"Did they tell you that you had a choice, and that they didn't need the license?"

"No, I just figured the rules had changed," she said.

Apparently, all across the state, poll workers are asking voters to have a valid driver's license ready before voting. There are even reports from right here in North Texas of voters having their licenses scanned.

Keep in mind that you do not have to participate in this practice. There is no voter ID law in this state, and if you present a valid voter registration card, you do not have to show another form of identification unless you are a first-time voter.

In September, we brought you a two-piece special series on the Republican vice-presidential nominee, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska [The Palin Pick and The Sarah Palin Show].

At that point, after the American public was still getting introduced to the governor, we argued that Palin seemed real to voters in Middle America, and that Barack Obama's supporters would do well not to ignore Palin's "everyman" appeal.

After today, we've changed our mind. We're retracting that warning. Why? Because now, it will be hard for Middle American voters to view her as much more than a fraud.

After weeks of battling her public image as Tina Fey "mocked" her and Katie Couric "tricked" her, she seemed to redeem herself by not falling flat at the vice-presidential debate.

But now she has suffered a death knell: it has been revealed that the Republican National Committee provided Palin with a $150,000 wardrobe from high-end retailers, including over $75,000 at Neiman Marcus and nearly $50,000 at Saks Fifth Avenue.

In a time when the Democratic ticket is leading the Republicans by double digits in most polls and has already amassed over 270 electoral votes in most predictions, this is the nail in the coffin for John McCain and Sarah Palin.

If this were Cindy McCain (and it has been), we wouldn't bat an eye. Why? As the Style section of the Washington Post says this morning, a shopping spree doesn't go against McCain's public persona. It isn't unexpected or out of character. McCain has never tried to appeal to "Joe Sixpack." (And we're sure that Barack is forever grateful today for his wife Michelle's ability to shop on a budget.)

But Palin is almost desperately middle-class- and she never lets the media or the voters forget her humble beginnings. While her spokesman has said that Palin has intended to give the clothes to charity in some way after the election ends, I'd like to hear a surrogate or Palin herself explain how the shopping trip matches anything that the candidate has said on the trail over the past couple of months.

The fact is that it doesn't. Not at all. Not ever. And there's no defense for Palin to be dressed in Valentino while she criticizes liberal regions of the country for not being "real America."

The act is up, Sarah. It's time to return your expensive wardrobe- but you can keep a winter coat, because you may need one back in Alaska.

Friday, October 17, 2008

The Obama campaign has released a brand new ad featuring John McCain's "I am not George Bush" remark from Wednesday night's presidential debate. While the ad concedes that McCain isn't technically George Bush himself, the Republican senator did vote with the president 90% of the time.

Tonight is the third and final presidential debate between senators John McCain, the Republican nominee, and Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for president.

If for whatever reason you remain undecided in this election, this debate is a must-see for you. Take a look at the two candidates and we're sure you'll find that Obama has a better message of hope and change, and real solutions to get our economy and our country back on track.

As Obama continues to pull ahead in every national poll, McCain is going to try and recover lost ground in this debate, so don't be surprised if his negative campaigning continues tonight while Obama offers real substance with his ideas and goals for us as a nation.

Among independents who are likely voters - a group that has swung back and forth between McCain and Obama over the course of the campaign - the Democratic ticket now leads by 18 points. McCain led among independents last week.

McCain's campaign strategy may be hurting hurt him: Twenty-one percent of voters say their opinion of the Republican has changed for the worse in the last few weeks. The top two reasons cited for the change of heart are McCain's attacks on Obama and his choice of Sarah Palin as running mate.

Obama is currently leading in every major poll, and Real Clear Politics gives him an average lead of 8.1 points after factoring in this new poll and an LA Times/Bloomberg poll that has the Democrat leading by nine points. (Obama's second-highest showing is in the GW/Battleground Tracking poll, in which he leads by 13 points.)

Taking a look at the electoral map at RCP, the Democratic ticket also holds a clear advantage over McCain and Palin. Obama has 313 electoral votes according to their calculations, while McCain would only win 158. Even if McCain were to win all of the remaining toss-up states (Nevada, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina), he would still lose the election handily. Notice any notorious swing states missing from that list? That's because Florida, Virginia, Colorado, and New Mexico have shown the potential to become bonafide blue states, and for now are being listed in the Democratic column.

If you live in Bellaire, Sugarland, Galveston, or another part of the oddly gerrymandered SD 17, you may have gotten a "push poll" from folks trying to whittle down Democratic candidate Chris Bell's lead in the state Senate race. George at The Texas Blue points out some dirty tricks in Texas' 17th Senate district.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Today, Connecticut became the third state to recognize marriage equality by allowing same-sex couples to marry there.

Today, the Connecticut Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision and ruled that same-sex couples enjoy the same right to marry as different-sex couples under the state constitution. The court ruled that it is a violation of the state constitution to deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry, and that it is not enough to provide rights to gay and lesbian couples through a separate system of civil unions.

Congratulations to those in Connecticut who have been working for and waiting for this momentous day. We only hope that more states will join California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts in granting marriage rights to all of their residents.

Cousins Connor and Blake Kincaid, who share a room on the UT campus, have signs promoting Barack Obama and Democratic candidates displayed in the windows to their first-floor dorm. According to university officials, it is against school policy to allow signs in the windows. While the students feel that they are within the constitutional limits of free speech, the university says that political signs are allowed elsewhere on campus.

The university has already prohibited the roommates from registering for spring courses until the signs are gone, and has threatened to remove them from campus housing if necessary.

The University Democrats and College Republicans have joined forces in support of the Kincaids opposing this ruling. The Kincaids have said they will take the university to court before taking down their political posters.

Check out a news story on the situation below:

UPDATE: The situation has been resolved with the university agreeing to suspend the rules about political speech until faculty and students can come to a compromise, BOR reports.

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Following tonight's presidential debate in Nashville, Tennessee, the pundits on CNN seemed indignant about one comment in particular: Sen. John McCain, when referring to Sen. Barack Obama, called his opponent "that one."

Now we can tear apart that comment a million times over to try and figure out whether there were any kind of undertones or implications, but we'll let you be the judge. View the video of the comment below:

So what do you think? Did McCain have a momentary lapse in memory and forget Obama's name? Was it just to reinforce the point? Was there any sort of condescension intended? You tell us.

Monday, October 06, 2008

The 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas has rejected the lawsuit by state Sen. Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth, who was appealing a lower court ruling that former Fort Worth City Councilwoman Wendy Davis is eligible to challenge him on the November ballot.

A panel of three justices hinted during oral arguments last week that they were reluctant to overturn the ruling by state District Judge Tom Lowe in Fort Worth, who ruled in July that Davis is an eligible candidate. Brimer appealed Lowe's ruling.

But the appeals court in Dallas today upheld Lowe's ruling, saying in its opinion that "Brimer's only legally recognized interest in pursuing this appeal is to avoid being opposed by an ineligible candidate."

"Even if Davis is ineligible to hold office -- an issue we do not reach in this appeal -- her name will be included on the November 4, 2008 general election ballot in opposition to Brimer. We cannot, at this point, change that outcome and, therefore, this appeal is moot," the justices wrote.

Here's a quick history of the case for those that haven't been following along:

May 2007: Wendy Davis is re-elected to the Ft. Worth City Council.August 2007: Davis officially declares her candidacy for the Democratic nomination in Texas State Senate District 10, which covers about half of Tarrant County and is represented by Republican Kim Brimer. She also resigns from her post on the city council, though local law required her to officially keep her seat until her successor is sworn in.November 2007: Election is held to choose Davis' successor on the city council. It goes to a runoff.December 2007: Joel Burns wins the runoff.Early January2008: Three Ft. Worth firefighters ask Tarrant County Democratic Party Chairman Art Brender to disqualify Davis from running for state senate because she is technically still on the council and state law prohibits sitting council members to run for the state legislature. The same day, Burns is sworn in on the council.The Secretary of State's office would not issue a ruling on Davis' eligibility, saying that Brender is the filing authority in the primary election. Brener issued a statement declaring Davis eligible to run.Mid-January 2008: The Ft. Worth firefighters issued a court challenge that was dismissed by the Texas Supreme Court. The high court recommended the firefighters take their issue up with the regional appellate court.Late January 2008: The firefighters lose in appeals court. The court rules that only a political opponent, such as Brimer, has the standing to bring such an eligibility suit.March 2008: Uncontested in the Democratic primary, Davis officially becomes the nominee.Early July 2008: Brimer himself challenges Davis' eligibility by filing a suit to have her removed from the November ballot.Late July 2008: State District Court Judge Tom Lowe rules in favor of Davis, determining that she is eligible to remain on the ballot. Brimer appeals.August 2008: The deadline to remove a candidate from the ballot passes.September 2008: A Ft. Worth appellate judge asks that the case be moved to Dallas. The Texas Supreme Court moves the case to the 5th Court of Appeals there.October 2008: The Dallas appeals court rules in favor of Davis, rejecting Brimer's suit.

Davis welcomed the news of the win for her campaign: "I am very pleased with the Court's decision today, and I look forward to continuing my conversation with Tarrant County families about the issues they are facing. What I'm offering voters is a representative who will bring real change to the way Austin does business."

Contribute to the Wendy Davis campaign today. Every little bit counts, and she could certainly use your help in her campaign against yet another Republican up to the same old dirty tricks. Kim Brimer has got to go, and with your help and your vote Davis will replace him.

Thirty days to go to Election Day, but you must be registered to vote, and today is the deadline. Make sure you're ready to vote by clicking here (scroll down a little, on the right side) to register or verify your registration. Early voting begins in just two weeks. And the blogs of the Texas Progressive Alliance had a lot to say about candidates on the ballot from top to bottom; here's the roundup of the best posts from last week ...

Today is the last day to register to vote in Texas. If you have not registered to vote yet, your form must be postmarked or turned in TODAY. Visit the following website for more information on how to register to vote:

Sunday wasn't a great day in the media for Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

First of all, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had to correct the Alaskan governor when Palin misquoted her. Then, an AP op-ed called Palin's attacks on Barack Obama "racially-tinged," referring to her trying to link the Democratic presidential nominee with terrorists. Also, conservative columnist and pundit Peggy Noonan referred to Palin's populism as "not a good road to be on" for the country.

One of the more interesting comments, though, came from the moderator of last Thursday's vice-presidential debate, Gwen Ifill.

Ifill commented on Palin's unwillingness to answer her questions during the debate. Ifill suggested that Palin ignored the questions that she was asked and instead chose to deliver a stump speech. Watch Ifill say that Palin "blew me off" in the video below:

Tina Fey reprised her Sarah Palin role over the weekend on Saturday Night Live. The opening sketch from this weekend's episode satirized last week's vice-presidential debate. Check out the hilarious clip below, with a special guest star, Queen Latifah as moderator Gwen Ifill.

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Thursday night's vice-presidential debate was hands down the most-watched VP debate ever and the second most-watched political debate in U.S. history, according to the Style section of today's Washington Post. That means more people tuned in to see Joe Biden and Sarah Palin debate the issues than than the number that have tuned in to almost every presidential debate in history. And these guys don't even get to run the show.

Along with a projected seventy-three million Americans, we tuned in to see Biden v. Palin. Many thought that Palin, the governor of Alaska and Republican John McCain's running mate, would fall flat on her face (figuratively, at least). Her expectations were low following a series of Katie Couric interviews that were released last week that made Palin seem like she didn't know what was going on. She couldn't name any newspapers that she read or any Supreme Court cases that she disagreed with other than Roe v. Wade.

Palin surprised us all, though, by generally seeming as if she knew the issues when pressed on them. She employed the age-old tactic of skirting the question, but that's to be expected of most honed politicians. She at one point even claimed to be such a Washington outsider that she likely wouldn't answer questions in the way that Biden or moderator Gwen Ifill may like.

Palin also employed colloquialisms and her famous Alaskan accent to her advantage, making her seem more appealing and real. If the debate were judged solely on style, she'd be a sure winner. Unfortunately for Palin, we judge debates on substance.

Biden, Democrat Barack Obama's running mate and the senior senator for Delaware, was more substantive. His deeper understanding of the issues was glaringly apparent. He made a clear case against a McCain administration while remaining friendly and cordial toward Palin. He outlined to the American people why they can't afford to re-elect the Republicans, and spoke of a better future offered with an Obama administration.

Biden also seemed to have a better understanding of the role of a vice president. While Palin argued that the Constitution allowed for an expansion of the VP's role, Biden countered that Vice President Dick Cheney "has been the most dangerous vice president we’ve had probably in American history."

Other standout moments found the governor and senator practically agreeing on their respective stances against same-sex marriage, followed up by stark contrasts on foreign policy. "Your plan is a white flag of surrender in Iraq," Palin told her opponent.

It was an interesting debate and seemed to captivate a large audience, but historically vice-presidential debates haven't had much, if any, of an effect on the outcome of an election. Eileen Smith at Poll Dancingsums it up nicely:

In the end, do VP debates matter? Probably not. Palin had the most to lose, and could have possibly done damage to the ticket, if she had given a lackluster performance. But she didn’t. Biden didn’t all of a sudden turn into Rick Lazio, and there were more than a few opportunities for that to happen.

So, Biden did well and Palin did well, and nothing changes. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming, also known as McCain versus Obama.

At Thursday night's vice-presidential debate, Democrat Joe Biden had a raw, emotional moment when talking about losing his wife and his child and being a single parent. He made his case that he can better relate to the people sitting around the kitchen table, insisting that they're looking for help instead of more of the same.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Actor Matt Damon called Sarah Palin's nomination "a bad Disney movie." That's all that some humorists needed-- they took it and ran with it, creating a "trailer" that looks like it really could be "a bad Disney movie" about Sarah Palin. Watch it below for a few laughs.